Attempts to Establish a Post-War Peace

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Attempts to Establish a Post-War Peace
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Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945)

• US (FDR), Britain (Churchill), and USSR (Stalin)
  meet in to discuss post-war plan for Europe while
  war still on-going
• USSR wants a friendly Poland and US/UK agree to
  recognize pro-Soviet/communist Polish govt. on
  the condition that free elections will be held
• Allies divide Germany into four sections and
  determine that Soviets will NOT get war
  reparations, only trade goods
• Declaration of Liberated Europe promise by
  Allies to allow all European countries to choose
  their own forms of government

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Cont.

• USSR does not allow free elections in Poland and
  pressured Romania into communist government
• FDR criticizes Soviet action but dies in April
  1945

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Potsdam Conference (July 1945)

• Meeting held after conclusion of war in Germany,
  but before end of war with Japan
• Actions on Germany
• USSR is taking machinery and reparations from
  their section of Germany
• Truman refuses to give USSR reparations from
  other zones to allow economy to recover
• USSR could get industrial equipment, but had to
  pay with food from Soviet section
• Stalin makes it clear that he has no intention to
  allow for free election in Eastern Europe,
  especially CZ and Poland.
• Soviets are made aware of the atomic bomb, and
  promise to help USA invade Japan.
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vTZ2Um7pZ-gc

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Cont.

• Plans for Japan
• Japan is given ultimatum and does not respond
• US drops bombs the week after the conference
• A second bomb is dropped 3 days later without
  presidential approval.
• Tensions between US and USSR increase and help
  lay foundation for the Cold War

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Iron-Curtain Descends

• Presence of Soviet forces in Eastern Europe
  allows for creation of pro-Soviet communist
  governments
• Eastern Europe dominated by Soviet satellite
  nations
• Iron Curtain speech discussing divided Europe
  delivered by Churchill on March 5, 1946 in
  Fulton, Missouri
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vjvax5VUvjWQ

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United Nations

• Discussion begin in Washington, DC in 1944
• Agreed to General Assembly
• Security Council with 11 members
• 5 permanent members have veto powers
• main countries fighting against Axis Powers
• USA, USSR, Britain, France, and China
• Formally chartered in San Francisco on April 25,
  1945
• General Assembly votes on resolutions and budget,
  chooses non-permanent Security Council members
• Security Council responsible for international
  peace/security and investigating international
  disputes and problems

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UN 2011
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Trouble at Home

• Just like in WWI, returning soldiers had a
  difficult time finding jobs.
• Production declines as supply of workers
  increases.
• Strikes are also a major problem.
• Industry no longer seen as a war effort, workers
  want more rights.
• Truman was one of the most popular presidents
  ever at end of WWII, but its starting to decline.

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Election 1948

• Trumans approval rating bottomed out in 1948 at
  36.
• Hurt by economic hard times
• Democrats wanted to nominate Eisenhower
• Divided Democrats
• Truman supported civil rights and integrated
  military with executive order 9981.-Angered
  Southern Democrats
• Ran against Thomas Dewey, popular New York
  Governor.
• Republicans were making a rebound.
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vKytYJZnhA80feature
  relatedsafety_modetruepersist_safety_mode1

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Truman makes a comeback

• In the end, Trumans personality saves him.
• Very personable in front of large crowds, an
  everymans man called his wife the boss
• Makes a 22,000 mile train trip around country
• Speaks at train platforms then moves on-could
  reach several hundred thousand in a day.
• Earns nickname Give em Hell Harry
• Dewey was awkward, in front of crowds.
• Had little ideas on what he would do as
  president.
• No presidential candidate in the future will be
  so inept that four of his major speeches can be
  boiled down to these historic four sentences
  Agriculture is important. Our rivers are full of
  fish. You cannot have freedom without liberty.
  Our future lies ahead
• Lousivelle Courier Journal
• Truman wins despite losing by every pre-poll
  count

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1948 Election
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Has difficult Second Term

• Becomes very unpopular when he fires General
  Douglas Macarthur.
• General was a hero in WWII but disobeys
  presidential orders, crosses into China, and
  plans to bomb China with Nuclear Weapons.
• Joe McCarthy attacks Truman administration in Red
  Scare Witch Hunt.
• Opposed mandatory loyalty oaths, seen as soft.
• Took control of private steel mills for war
  effort.
• Saw it as his duty as commander and chief

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Election of 1952

• During Trumans 2nd term, the 22nd amendment is
  ratified.
• Officially limits president to two terms.
• Did not apply to Truman, but he decides not to
  run-opponent.
• Former Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in
  Europe, General Dwight D. Eisenhower gets
  Republican nomination and easily defeats Adlia
  Stevenson
• War popularity and Voter Fatigue all but assure
  Eisenhowers victory.
• Washington, Jackson, Grant, Roosevelt,
  Eisenhower.

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